Picture a pearl veiled by chiffon: a soft gleam behind gossamer fabric. It’s a luxurious image, but luxury isn’t what lures us to it. Instead, it’s the exquisite, spiritual balance of simplicity, delicate colors and strength tempered by softness. Today we experience this gently blurred duality all around us, from the menswear influences on feminine clothes, to the soft-touch materials on electronic gadgets. Beige SW 2859 Spun Sugar SW 6337 Sandbank SW 6052 Alpaca SW 7022 Westhighland White SW 7566 Nonchalant White SW 6161 Steamed Milk SW 7554 Malted Milk SW 6057 Balanced Beige SW 7037 Fleur de Sel SW 7666 Top part of wall: Sandbank SW 6052

Gray is the new black, and math is the new sexy. We’re in a global race to acquire knowledge, especially in the hard sciences. As we embrace our inner geek, we’re also celebrating the quantifiable world’s impact on design: using geometry and 3D printing to create patterns and shapes in which shadows, negative space and tone on tone are as important as the structure itself. Classic French Gray SW 0077 Extra White SW 7006 Tricorn Black SW 6258 Gauntlet Gray SW 7019 Agreeable Gray SW 7029 Earl Grey SW 7660 Crushed Ice SW 7647 Peppercorn SW 7674 Ceiling: Peppercorn SW 7674

Some spirits can never be fenced in. They need to soak in the blue of endless horizon and the subtle earthy colors of the high plains and desert. Sun-washed and warm, this palette can be seen in the baked clay canyons, worn leather and woven wool blankets of the true New West. INFLUENCERS: Carefree Bohemian Modern cowgirl Unbridled adventure Southwestern twist PALETTE: Origami White SW 7636 Cavern Clay SW 7701 Moth Wing SW 9174 Baked Cookie SW 9098 Dark Clove SW 9183 Distance SW 6243 Caramelized SW 9186 Main Walls: Moth Wing SW 9174 Back Accent Wall: Dark Clove SW 9183 Bookshelf Trim: Origami White SW 7636

From ancient sagas to today’s motivational speakers, we love our storytellers. With colorful accounts they sum up our very nature and remind us how we’re all connected. Passed from grandmothers, traders and nomads, the tales traveled the world, gaining artistry, until we’ve translated them into a rich and modern palette that spans space and time. INFLUENCERS: Desert oases Global style Luxury safaris Spice markets PALETTE: Porcelain SW 0053 Orchid SW 0071 Black Bean SW 6006 Dhurrie Beige SW 7524 Poised Taupe SW 6039 Rustic Red SW 7593 Chelsea Mauve SW 0002 Wall & Painted Brick: Dhurrie Beige SW 7524 Ceiling between joists: Rustic Red SW 7593 Windows & Casings: Black Bean SW 6006

There are those who don’t know the meaning of “less is more.” Passionate and eclectic, they have a calling to be unique. They embrace the details and create scene-stealing worlds that burst with beauty. The proof is in this palette that features bold pops of vivid color, maximum impact and lots of energy. INFLUENCERS: Maximalism Cozy chaos Over-the-top opulence More is more PALETTE: Nebulous White SW 7063 Gold Crest SW 6670 Majestic Purple SW 6545 Positive Red SW 6871 Porpoise SW 7047 Argyle SW 6747 Oceanside SW 6496 Walls: Argyle SW 6747 Ceiling: Nebulous White SW 7063

This project won in the 2013 Builders Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh Housing Excellence Award for Best Urban Renewal Renovation Project. The glass bowl was made in the glass studio owned by the owner which is adjacent to the residence. The mirror is a repurposed window. The door is repurposed from a boarding house. George Mendel

Ella Studios
Study room - small transitional built-in desk medium tone wood floor study room idea in Minneapolis with gray walls

Staircase - coastal carpeted staircase idea in Philadelphia with painted risers

Walking barefoot in the garden, nature lovers instantly connect with the wonder of the world in full bloom. With roots in the forest, this palette’s colorful tendrils grew in hothouses and conservatories until they became these lush, sophisticated tones. Ranging from mushroom to leafy green to passionate floral pink, they’ve now found a place where they’ll never fade. INFLUENCERS: Forest mushrooms Botanical prints Butterfly collections Terrariums PALETTE: Primavera SW 9031 Misty SW 6232 Dard Hunter Green SW 0041 Shittake SW 9173 Felted Wool SW 9171 Delightful SW 6289 Eros Pink SW 6860 Walls: Misty SW 6232 Ceiling: Extra White SW 7006

There are those who always seem a little ahead of their time. Visionary and creative, this palette reaches into the cosmos and returns with a whole universe of inspiration. Atmospheric wisps of colors, grounded by deep, dark blues, capture the unique space between technology and spirituality. INFLUENCERS: Rings of Saturn Artificial intelligence Spiritualism Healing energy PALETTE: Blue Sky SW 0063 Elation SW 6827 Nugget SW 6697 Extra White SW 7006 Endless Sea SW 9150 Celestial SW 6808 Dark Night SW 6237 Walls: Elation SW 6827 Ceiling: Extra White SW 7006

Bedroom - coastal master light wood floor bedroom idea in Miami with white walls

Corner shower - mid-century modern white tile corner shower idea in Los Angeles with a vessel sink, flat-panel cabinets and brown cabinets

Example of a trendy living room design in Montreal

Sustainable design and radical transparency are the new standards. As our daily transactions move further into the cloud, acquiring experiences is becoming preferable to buying more things. "Doing good" is the new looking good, and it’s taking the form of "voluntourism," healing retreats and eco-travel. We’re in pursuit of an elusive ideal: a fair luxury. The roads of this journey are lined with arctic neutrals, blush rose and wild browns. Mountain Air SW 6224 Stardew SW 9138 Coral Island SW 6332 Acier SW 9170 Casa Blanca SW 7571 Gale Force SW 7605 Brandywine SW 7710 Sheraton Sage SW 0014 Roycroft RoseSW 0034 Deep Forest Brown SW 9175

Living room - contemporary living room idea in Montreal

Less is more as we’re de-cluttering, moving more possessions into the cloud. Silence is no longer empty, but instead rare and rich with possibility. Our notions of what’s authentic are being complicated. We’re celebrating the unfiltered, yet captivated by the artfully processed. Blending in is the new standing out. Flaws are treasured. The hushed tones of this score play out in sand, complex grays and hazy botanicals. INFLUENCES: Silence Instagram Minimalism Hygge Normcore Living Room Wall: Pearl Gray SW 0052 Living Room Ceiling: Homburg Gray SW 7622 Dining Room Wall: Sashay Sand SW 6051 Dining Room Ceiling: Shell White SW 8917

We’re each moving to the beat of our own algorithm. From choosing a dry cleaner to choosing a college, data powers nearly every decision we make. In Silicon Valley, Austin, Berlin and Beijing, techies are the new hippies, full of breakthrough ideas and utopian ideals. A generation is waving the flag of color freedom, and Instagramming every moment. This high-tech palette is pixelated in orange, violets, digital greens and high-def yellow. INFLUENCES: Pop/Youth Culture Techies Virtual Reality Productivity Environmentalism Main Walls: Ibis White SW 7000, Ceiling:Billowy Breeze SW 9055, Fireplace: Organic Green SW 6732 Fireplace Trim: Black Swan SW 6279

Global immigration is redefining borderlands, national identity and our sense of coexistence. We’re all citizens of the world now. Brands are becoming more purpose-driven, communities more connected. Design is adapting to more diverse populations. Overconsumption is, well, over. We’re more likely to invest in the best we can afford — crafted and customized — and then keep it forever. Global consciousness is a mural painted in earthy mustards, ocean blues, corals and mud. Mudslide SW 9113 Freshwater SW 6774 Sealskin SW 7675 Bee SW 6683 Coral Reef SW 6606 Rave Red 6608 Saguaro SW 6419 Adriatic Sea SW 6790 Cut the Mustard SW 6384 Tres Naturale SW 9101

It’s among our most precious commodities: night. We’re craving a refuge from urban streetlights and glowing screens, space to turn our gaze inward and recharge the spirit. Mindful melancholy is fueling a new romanticism marked by medieval patterns, revived customs and bittersweet beauty. The Dutch masters knew the secret: dark hues set a dramatic stage for sensuous luster. This palette is rich with vineripe fruits, Nordic blues, moody neutrals and golden yellows. Anchors Aweigh SW 9179 Marea Baja SW 9185 Mature Grape SW 6286 Black Swan SW 6279 Alchemy SW 6395 Cascades SW 7623 Icelandic SW 6526 Cyberspace SW 7076 Poised Taupe SW 6039 Spatial White SW 6259